Stile and Rail Profile Bit

[John Loftis]

Howdy folks. I've been researching stile and rail bits and it's created quite a pucker factor. Those suckers are expensive.

Two quick questions:

1) If you could only get one set (one profile), which profile would you get? Whiteside has 6 or 10 different profiles, and it left me scratching my head a bit. I'm hoping for, "John, XX profile is timeless and classic. You'll be able to use that one on any number of raised panel projects for the next 20 years."

2) Whiteside seems to be one of the brands of choice on SMC. Is that what you'd go with for this bit set?

Thanks,
John

[Rob Young]

If I could only have one set I think it would be a nice "basic bead". It has a gentle curve and the two flats make nice shadow lines.

I think flat, beveled and coved panels look good with the bead profile. The key for me in the panel profile is to keep it simple too.

Now I have only one set and it is a bead but not a nice, high quality Whiteside set. Mine is a much less expensive set I purchased a few years ago to experiment with. I've only made a few panels with it and they turned out OK but I can definately see shortcomings in the quality of the bit set grind, etc. A Whiteside, CMT, Freud set would probably make you very happy and last for a few kitchens worth of wood.

[Peter Quinn]

John, I'd get the profile that pleases you the most. Sorry i can't be more specific, but the shop I work in has at least 8 different profiles for the shaper, and each one pleases some one the most. I like a simple quarter round with a flat at the top. Its the one I use the most, followed by small cove/small bead, roman ogee, and a simple 25 degree chamfer. I wouldn't bother so much with a square edge matched set as those are easy to make without a dedicated cutter set.

I do like whiteside sets, and Amana are pretty great too. Both are top notch sets that offer considerable flexibility in terms of stock thickness and construction style. I know amana makes stub counter profile cutters to match some sets that allow M&T construction should you choose, others may as well.

[Jack Hutchinson]

Maybe look at cabinets - at a big showroom or in high-end catalogs. You might find a profile which appeals to you more than others.

The Freud set (like the 97-210) is popular - you can get that in other profiles also.

[Barry Vabeach]

John, my first choice is to get a one piece set so you don't have to remove the bit from the router to switch between rail and stiles. http://www.amanatool.com/bits-fv/55460.html
http://www.infinitytools.com/products.asp?dept=1190 . http://www.freudtools.com/p-92-one-piece-rail-stile-bits.aspx Some manufacturers set up the cutters differently. the best system, in my opinion, lets you do both cuts with the face down, that way if there is any difference in thickness, it doesn't impact the front of the door. The Freud is set up that way.

If you are going to do any hand work - such as use a true tenon into a mortise to join the rails, it is easiest to cope the standard ( also called a quarter round ) , rather than the ogee, though when I was looking I found a much better price on the Infinity ogee and bought that.

[Chip Lindley]

Quarter-round Bead or S-curve Ogee profiles are the two most popular! IF I could have only one, Bead would Win!

[glenn bradley]

+1 on bead if I was on a desert island. As to matched sets vs. stacked; I run all of one profile and then I cope all the other so there is no big convenience to me. I have a lift so if for some reason I did want to switch back and forth, stacked would be easier, cost is about the same.

[Steve Clardy]

I've stayed with the 6002 ogee pattern. I have 4-5 of these same sets.

I seldom have a customer specify what R&S profile they want, so in order to keep bits changes down, I just stay with one profile

[Myk Rian]

You can use vertical bits to keep the cost down, if you don't mind standing the panels on edge, or if you have a horizontal router table.
http://www.woodcraft.com/search/search.aspx?query=vertical+panel+bit&refcode=06INGOOG&keyword=vertical_panel_bit&gclid=CNz0xLeMz5sCFR7yDAodDXg3Lw